Expert ‘notes’ slow spread of monkeypox in PH

The second and third cases had recent travel history to a country with confirmed cases and tested positive for monkeypox on Thursday and Friday last week, respectively. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA – An infectious disease expert on Monday said the spread of monkeypox in the country is considered slow after the second and third cases of the disease were detected several weeks after the first case.

The first case, a 31-year-old Filipino who arrived from overseas, was first detected on July 28.

The second and third cases had recent travel history to a country with confirmed cases and tested positive for monkeypox on Thursday and Friday last week, respectively.

In a televised public briefing, Dr. Edsel Salvaña noted that monkeypox is not as contagious as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and symptoms come out two to three weeks after an individual is infected.

“So, we expect mas mabagal ang pagka-detect ng mga ito (the detection [of cases] is slower). We know it’s spreading, there’s some indications also that there is asymptomatic spread,” he said.

“So, kinakailangan na mas paigtingin pa natin ‘yung ating mga protocols at ‘yung pag-detect ng ganitong mga kaso mas maging vigilant po (we need to strengthen our protocols and to be vigilant about the detection of these cases),” he added.

Since health protocols against Covid-19 works against monkeypox, Salvaña said Filipinos’ observance of them could be the reason behind the slow spread of monkeypox.

Earlier, the DOH assured the public that it is in coordination with the infectious disease experts, dermatological societies, and other government agencies in handling monkeypox cases in the country.

“We’ll probably see more cases over time, but as long as we do our job, and we continue to monitor hindi pa naman sigurado na magiging endemic ito sa Pilipinas (this may not be endemic in the Philippines),” Salvaña said.

He added that the current tools used in detecting monkeypox cases are more advanced compared to those for Covid-19 because ”it is not a new disease which is just showing some novel characteristics”.